Seatrout Season Changes

Joupdog1

Just found this out today from someone who called into SnookNook so had to look further into it and it's true. I don't like the idea of a closure free season.
Here's the link: http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/speckled-trout-season-changes-effective-feb-1/

Snookmeister

Yea it is true my friend. Honestly, in my region, it is not so bad. We have loads and loads and loads of trout. I can understand that you might be upset because you actually have trout there that might actually be good for something other than snook bait lol. Sorry, for me where I come from trout don't count. However y'all have real trout.

mastercaster

Oh great.

Now all the rednecks are going to wipe them out in the rivers in the NW.

summer daze

Who really eats these things anyways? I let them ALL return to the jean pool after a quick photo. I stopped harvesting them decades ago, once I realized most have worms. BIG nasty, giant worms. Doesn't that sound yummy !?!?

Snookmeister

Hahaha, yea for real. If I am going to eat a trout it is 15-18". People don't realize, most fish that are big for their species don't taste all that good. I mean if you think about it they are senior citizens. Like I said, I think in my region it is not as big of a deal, however it is the same issue of different fisheries all getting the same treatment, doesn't make much sense to me in reality.

Joupdog1

It used to be closed Nov-Dec which is the major breeding time for them I believe. People do keep the big over slots and that is the worst time to do so. Also much easier to limit out during those months.

Capt.AW

Recreational take for an extra two months is hardly an issue IMHO. Before I make my next statement let me start with a disclaimer that I hold a SPL. Ok, with that being said lets crunch some numbers. The old commercial season was 91 days(June 1-Sept 1), this year it increased to 153(May 1-Oct 1.) with the same 75 head per day bag limit. Lets say in our region from Vero to Stuart there are 20 comm trout guys. 10 of them are really go and they average 50 head per day. The other 10 aren't good and only average 20 head per day. Now lets be realistic and say there were only 80 fishable days with the old season, and 140 fishable day with the new season.

Old Season
80 days x 50 head x 10 fisherman = 40,000
80 days x 20 head x 10 fisherman = 16,000
Total of 56,000 trout from 15-24"

New Season
140 days x 50 head x 10 fisherman = 70,000
140 days x 20 head x 10 fisherman = 28,000
Total of 98,000 trout from 15-24"

That's a 42,000 fish increase!

For the recreational guys to catch 98,000 in year it would take 67 people, fishing every day for 365 days, keeping their 4 fish limit. Knowing how may inshore guys release the majority of the trout they catch it just doesn't seem feasible. IMO they should have left it the way it was...I am curious what the trout fishing will be like 5 years from now.